Chevra Kadisha

Chevra Kadisha - חֶבְרָא קַדִישָׁא
The Chevra Kadisha or “Holy Society” are members of the community who prepare the body for burial. They are a specially trained group of people who perform the mitzvah (Good Deed) of a taharah (Purification). These volunteers ensure that appropriate practices are followed.

Taharah – טַהֲרָה
Ritual Washing - As newborns are washed and dressed as they enter the world, so are the dead as they leave this world. The traditional washing and dressing of the deceased is done with the utmost dignity and respect. The taharah is performed by trained members of the Chevra Kadisha (Sacred Society). In accordance with Jewish traditional law, men prepare men, while women prepare women. The Chevra Kadisha dresses the deceased in a simple white burial garment, called tachrichim. Men are also buried with their tallit (prayer shawl), which has been altered by removing one of the fringes. Dirt from Israel is symbolically placed under the head and on the deceased person, and pottery shards are placed over the eyes. Prayers asking for the forgiveness of the deceased and the soul’s eternal peace are offered. The Chevra Kadisha follows all laws that are in accordance with k’vod hamet (respect for the dead).

Tachrichim - תַּכְרִיכִים
Burial Shroud - Traditional white clothing, preferably made of linen, includes: hat, shirt, pants, jacket, belt and wrapping sheet, and for a man, a tallis (prayer shawl), preferably his own, is also worn. The tachrichim is reminiscent of the garments the Kohanim (High Priest) wore when they entered the Great Temple on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Some people are buried in the kittel, a simple linen robe; they may have worn at their wedding, during seders on Passover and during Yom Kippur. The shroud has no pockets, which symbolizes our inability to take along any material possessions on this journey. Rabbi Gamliel introduced this custom about fifty years after the destruction of the Second Temple. Before that, Jews were buried in the garments they wore during life. As time went on, the attire of the dead became more elaborate and extravagant. It became difficult for the poor Jews to show the highest respect for their dead while avoiding the great expense attached to clothing. The tradition of a simple shroud was adapted for the rich and poor, showing that all men are equal before God.